Vicksburg and Warren County remain under a statewide burn ban and are now under extreme drought conditions as the present period of dry weather heads toward the end of its third month.

“We haven’t has any measurable rain in a week and a half,” Warren County Emergency management director John Elfer said.

Although some rain fell Friday night, it wasn’t enough to make a dent in the dry conditions that have plagued the area since September or lift the burn ban imposed by both local and state officials.

According to information from the National Weather Service, all the cold front that passed over the area Friday did was bring dry, but cold, conditions.

“We’re under an increased risk for fire weather due to the low humidity and high winds,” Elfer said. “There is to be no outdoor burning, period. Barbeque grills (if) people use them responsibly will be fine. Chimeneas, outdoor fire pits, anything that could create an ember is prohibited.”

And the forecast for the beginning of the week isn’t much better, calling for continued dry conditions.

“Next week we’ll have a period of dry weather continuing for Monday and Tuesday, with another storm system predicted to come in Wednesday that could bring some rain to the area again,” said Thomas Winesett, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in Jackson. “It will help, but it’s hard to say right now how much accumulation there will be. It doesn’t look to be anything exceptionally high, but there’s still time for that to change, too.”

Winesett said the week after Thanksgiving doesn’t hold much promise either for a drought-busting rain.

“Rain chances will go up early next week compared to the previous weeks, but overall, it’s just not enough widespread rain to make a dent in our drought situation,” he said.

While the drought has dried the land, it has not affected Vicksburg’s or county water systems, which get their water from alluvial aquifers under ground and fed by the Mississippi River, Vicksburg Public Works Director Garnet Van Norman said.

“Our water supply is in good shape,” he said.